It was the familiar interrogation room, and the intense lights made me squint.
“Audrey Hayes, what were you doing at the lab last night?!”
Detective Captain Hayes and a female officer sat opposite me, questioning me sternly.
“I wasn’t at the lab last night.”
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“The surveillance footage clearly shows you entering and exiting. Denying it is useless!” He
impatiently tapped the table, utterly dismissive of my flimsy lie.
“Your mentor says your recent research progress has stalled, and you had an emotional breakdown, leading you to do something so extreme. Do you admit it?”
“I don’t admit it!” I looked at him intently. Last time, I didn’t answer this question thoroughly. This
time, I would clarify everything.
“My previous PhD mentor was Professor Davies, a titan in our field. My project was always under his guidance and progressing smoothly. If completed, our nation’s artificial intelligence could make a qualitative leap.”
“Unfortunately, Professor Davies, a brilliant mind, was tragically caught in a street brawl while simply running errands, and he lost his life.” I looked at Detective Captain Hayes, solemnly confirming.
“I believe you were also in charge of that case, Detective Captain Hayes.”
“Yes, but what does any of this have to do with your arson case?” Detective Captain Hayes asked, his face stern, seeing me ramble.
“I’ve been a PhD student for three years, and two of those years were under Professor Davies‘ guidance, Dr. Silas Vance has only been my mentor for six months, having only recently returned to teach here after his time abroad.”
I smirked slightly at the one–way mirror behind him. “I ask, how could a project Professor Davies and I were almost done with, suddenly become ‘stagnant‘ and ‘erroneous‘ in Dr. Silas Vance’s words, enough to delay my graduation?”
2:14 pm P P P S
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“If that reason can’t even hold up, then what possible reason would I have to commit arson?”
Finally, I leaned back in the chair, shrugging my cuffed hands, which rattled with a clinking sound.
Detective Captain Hayes frowned in thought. Suddenly, the interrogation room door burst open.
“Captain Hayes, someone’s here from the federal facility!” A young officer whispered to Detective Captain Hayes. I watched his brow furrow, then he quickly stood up and left.
“What is going on with your university?! Last night at 9:55 PM, Audrey Hayes wasn’t even at the school! She collapsed at the facility gates, and thousands of online followers can vouch for it! So what’s the deal with the person your surveillance footage captured?!”
Detective Captain Hayes‘ furious roar echoed from the half–open door.
What started as a fire report, due to the university’s initiative, had escalated into a severe arson case. And now, the crucial evidence they provided was questionable.
Catching Dr. Silas Vance’s dark, glaring eyes outside the door, I flashed him a challenging smile.